Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408180002
SECTION: DISCOVER PAGE: 106 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Three years after parting ways with Roanoke Country Club, where he had been head professional for 25 years, Holley's career has veered down a new cart path as owner and proprietor of the new Big Lick Golf Driving Range & Learning Center in Roanoke.
``This is my baby now,'' Holley said. ``I've missed the teaching end of golf for a long time, and I see this as my opportunity to get back into that. When I get everything just right here, I plan on being on that tee for 8 hours a day, teaching people how to play golf.''
Holley said the facility, located on a leased 15-acre tract on Hollins Road, will be ``state of the art'' when fully completed over the next few months. The range has been open since April 13, and early returns have spiced Holley's optimism that area golfers are in search of such a facility.
``We're going to have everything that the golfer - from the scratch player to the beginner - needs,'' Holley said. ``We've got two of the largest teeboxes you'll ever find - one with rye and bluegrass, the other with Vermont-Bermuda [grass], equipped with an underground watering system.
``Also, you'll get to hit new balls here, which you don't find at most places. We're going to clean the balls everytime they're picked up. Any ball nicked or cut will be thrown out. Everything you hit here will be round, I guarantee it.''
Unlike the majority of similar facilities, Big Lick also will offer a practice putting green and a bunker to practice sand shots.
``I tried not to miss anything,'' Holley said. ``I did a lot of homework on this thing. I looked at approximately 85 facilities in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland and Florida. We've even got a deli to feed you.''
Holley said the operation of driving ranges has changed drastically the past few years.
``It's no longer just a Ma and Pa business where you get a bucket of balls and go hit 'em,'' Holley said. ``Now a lot of them have become family fun-center type things.''
Holley said he wants to add a batting cage to his facility as soon as possible.
``Hey, you'd better have something for everybody,'' he noted.
Holley said his emphasis will be on the learning aspects of the game.
``There are a lot of people who simply don't know what to do when they play golf,'' he said. ``People don't know that they should be fitted for clubs. Some don't know the difference between a driver and a pitching wedge. Well, I'm here to take care of that.''
Holley said eventually he would like to start a program for junior players.
``I would like to get into the school system,'' he said. ``I think I've got a lot to offer Roanoke from a juniors standpoint.''
Holley is offering clinics from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursdays.
Holley, who put up all the money for the venture, has gotten a lot of help from his family to this point. His wife, Barbara, and brothers Ray and Tommy, plus their families, have lent a hand whenever possible.
``Luckily for me,'' said Holley, ``they work cheap - for nothing. I couldn't have done this without them.
``Am I going to make a living at this? Well, I'm not trying to make a killing. I just want to make enough to get by for a few years.''
Public courses
BLUE HILLS: Semiprivate. Membership through stock purchase. Associate memberships: $25. Greens fees: Associate members $14.50 (18), $8.50 (9); public $16.50 (18), $9.50 9). Cart fees: $20 (18), $11 (9). Starting times: Call at 8 a.m. Thursday for Friday times. Stockholders may call Wednesday for weekend times; others after 8 a.m. Friday. Par: 71 (men), 74 (women). Yardage: 6,547 (blue), 6,095 (white), 5,755 (red). Pros Johnny King and Jeff Sprinkel give lessons Tuesdays and Thursdays at $25 per half-hour. Phone: 344-7848.
BOTETOURT COUNTRY CLUB: Semiprivate. Memberships available. Family membership is $750 initiation, $875 dues. Individual membership is $750 iniation, $700 dues. Senior membership open for players 55 and over during the week. Cost is $750 initiation, $575 dues. Annual swimming pool membership is $350. Greens fees: $15 weekdays, $19 weekends and holiday. Cart fee: $8 per person weekends and weekdays. Members may call for starting times after 7 a.m. Monday. Non-members may call for weekend starting times after Thursday at noon. Head pro Chris Rouse and assistant Tom Purnell give lessons at $25 per half-hour. Par: 71 (men), 71 (women). Yardage: 6,119 (blue), 5,796 (white), 4,940 (red). Phone: 992-1451.
BROOKSIDE: Semiprivate. Memberships: $200 (adult), $300 (husband and wife), $400 (family), 10-percent discount for seniors over 62. Greens fees: $4.75 for first nine, $3.20 for each additional nine. Special summer rates before 4 p.m. are $3.95 (9), $7.50 (18) or $8.95 (all day). Club rental: $1 for bag of four clubs. Course open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m., year around, depending on weather. Nine-hole course. Par: 27. Yardage: 840. Phone: 366-6059.
CHESTNUT CREEK: Semiprivate. Memberships open to property owners and non-residents. Information available by calling club office (1-703-721-3845). Greens fees (includes cart): $25 (18, weekdays), $28 (18, weekends), $17 (9, weekdays), $19 (9, weekends). Starting times: Members may call one week in advance; non-members may call three days in advance. Course located off Virginia 122 in Franklin County. Head pro Steve Firebaugh gives lessons for $20 per half hour. Phone: 1-703-721-4214.
COUNTRYSIDE: Semiprivate. Memberships available by calling pro shop (563-0391). Greens fees: $20 (18, weekdays), $25 (18, weekends), $13 (9, weekdays), $15 (9, weekends and holidays after 3 p.m.). Cart fees: $10 per half-cart (18), $7.50 per half-cart (9); Special rate of $10 greens fee and cart for nine holes before 8 a.m. Special rates after 4 p.m.: $18 for 18 and cart on weekdays and $20 for 18 and cart on weekends. Pull carts: $3.50 (18), $2.50 (9). Starting times: One day in advance during week; members may call Wednesday at 9 a.m. for weekends, and non-members 9 a.m. Thursday. Range balls: $7.50 per bucket, $5.50 per large basket, $3.50 per small basket. Range closes Sunday at 5 p.m. Par: 71 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,861 (blue), 6,028 (white), 5,293 (red). Assistants Brian Sams and Marshall Langhammer give lessons at $20 per half-hour, $30 per hour. Series of lessons available. Phone: 563-0391.
HANGING ROCK: Public. Associate memberships available for $30, which reduces greens fees by $4 per round and reduces range ball price by one-half. No full-time memberships available. Players may walk anytime during week and after 1 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Greens fees $18 (18, weekdays), $22 (18, weekends), $11 (9, weekdays), $13 (9, weekends). Cart fees $11 per person for 18 and $8 per person for 9. Practice range will elevated greens at 100, 150 and 180 yards. Range balls $3 for small bucket (25 balls), $5 for medium bucket (50 balls), $7 for large bucket (100 balls). Teaching pro Chip Sullivan and assistant pro Dave Kuykendall give lessons for $25 per half-hour. Starting day in advance on weekdays and Wednesday morning for weekends. Par: 73 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,828 (black), 6,216 (blue), 5,669 (white), 4,691 (gold and red). Phone: 389-7275 (389-PAR5).
HOLLYFIELDS GOLF CLUB: Semiprivate. Membership open. Initiation fee $250. Single $300 annual dues, husband and wife ($450). Greens fees: $12 (18), $6 (9). Carts: $5 per person per cart for 9 holes, $10 per person per cart for 18 holes. Full cart fee for single riders on weekends until 5 p.m. Land has been surveyed for an additional nine. Tee times required for weekends and holidays. Members may call Monday and Tuesday; public may call Wednesday. New driving range. Buckets $4.50 (small, approximately 60 balls) and $5.50 (large, approximately 90 balls). Par: 36 (men), 37 (women). Yardage: 3,385 (blues), 3,087 (white), 2,887 (red). Phone: 929-4583; 344-0961.
LONDON DOWNS: Semiprivate. Memberships available, but there is waiting list. Full membership is $825 per year. Five-day membership (Monday thru Friday) is $550 per year. No iniation fees. Greens fees: $9 (9, weekdays); $15 (9, weekends); $14 (18, weekdays); $19 (18, weekends). Cart fees: $10 per person for 18; $6.50 per person for 9. Driving range and putting green available. Lessons arranged by appointment. Pros Jerry Conner and Berenice Fedder give lessons at $23 per half-hour. Assistant Tracy Newman gives lessons at $20 per half-hour, with series of three lessons for $54. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,913 (blue), 6,347 (white), 5,624 (gold), 4,953 (red). Located on Virginia 811, one-half mile off U.S. 460 12 miles west of Lynchburg. Phone: 1-804-525-4653.
MARINERS LANDING: Semiprivate. Memberships available. Membership information available by calling club office at 703-297-7888. New nine holes completed in May. Designed by Robert Trent Jones. Greens fees, including cart, are $22 weekdays, $25 weekends. Course rating: 72.8. Nine-hole fees, including cart, are $15 weekdays and $16 weekends. Par: 72 (men and women). Yardage: 6,904 (black); 6,437 (blue); 5,966 (white); 5,120 (red). Lessons available. Located on Rte. 626, 1 mile from Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston. Phone: 1-703-297-7888.
OLE MONTEREY: Semiprivate. Membership are available. Single membership of $1,000 per year includes initiation and dues. Greens fee and cart $25 per player. Ten-hole greens fee and cart for two: $15 per player. Walkers: $15 for 18 holes, $9 for nine holes. Walkers allowed all day Monday through Friday, after 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Carts required on weekends and holidays until after 2 p.m. Call after Monday for weekend and holiday tee times. Par: 71 (men), 76 (women). Yardage: 6,712 (blue), 6,297 (white), approximately 6,000 (red). No lessons available. Phone: 563-0400.
SALEM MUNICIPAL: Public. Greens fees: $5 (weekdays), $4 (senior citizens, over 60, weekdays), $6 (weekends). No motorized carts. Pull carts available for $1. No starting times. Nine-hole course. Sand greens. Par: 34. Yardage: Approximately 2,500. Proprietor Chuck Johnston conducts clinics through Salem Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Phone: 387-9802.
Private courses
BEDFORD COUNTRY CLUB: Membership information available through club office. Guest fees: $15 (18, weekdays), $20 (18, weekends), $9 (9, weekdays), $12 (9, weekends). Cart fees: $8 (18), $5 (9). Call during week for weekend starting times. Nine-hole course. Par: 70 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,290 (men), 5,332 (women). Bill Fumai and Mike Thompson gives lessons at $15 for 30 minutes or $40 for three lessons. Phone: 1-703-586-8407.
HIDDEN VALLEY: Membership information available through club office (389-8146). Guest fees: $25 (weekdays), $30 (weekends). Cart fees: $11 per person (18), $5.50 per person (9). Tee times required every day. During week, call after noon for following day. Sign-up sheet for weekends and holidays are posted one week prior to those dates. Par: 71 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,762 (blue), 6,179 (white), 5,335 (red). Head pro Tim Holbrook and assistant Mark Croye give lessons at $25 per half-hour. Pro shop phone: 389-8990.
HUNTING HILLS: Membership information available through club office (774-4427). Guest fees: $25 (weekdays), $30 (weekends). Cart fees: $22 (18), $12 (9). Single-rider fees: $13 (18), $9 (9). Starting times not required. Par: 70 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,105 (blue), 5,877 (white), 5,152 (red). Head pro Glen Roberson and assistant Steve Slotterback offer lessons to members for $25 per half-hour or package of five for $110. Non-member rates are $30. Pro shop phone: 774-4429.
ROANOKE COUNTRY CLUB: Membership information available through club office (345-1508). Guest fees: $30 (weekdays), $40 (weekends and holidays). Cart fees: $10 (18), $5 (9). Members may call for starting times as early as seven days in advance. Par for men: 35 (Dogwood), 36 (Redbud), 35 (Crabapple). Par for women: 36 (all nines). Yardage from blue tees: 3,162 (Dogwood); 3,310 (Redbud); 2,964 (Crabapple). Yardage from white tees: 2,960 (Dogwood); 3,086 (Redbud), 2,782 (Crabapple). Yardage from red tees: 2,795 (Dogwood); 2,775 (Redbud); 2,570 (Crabapple). Pro Phil Owenby and assistants Mark Fry and Thad Fields give lessons for $25 ($30 non-members) per half-hour and series of five lessons for $100. Pro shop phone: 343-1330.
WATER'S EDGE: Membership closed except to property owners. Guest fees: $40 (weekdays), $50 (weekends). Cart fees: $12 per person. Call one week ahead for starting times. Course is closed Mondays. Par: 72 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,906 (gold), 6,336 (blue), 6,041 (white), 5,312 (red), 4,201 (yellow). Pro John Snyder and assistant Kelly Crovo give lessons at $30 per session for members only. Phone: 1-703-576-3343.
WATERFRONT: Membership closed except to property owners. Guest fees with member: $30 (weekdays), $40 (weekends). Guest fees without member: $40 (weekdays), $50 (weekends). Cart fees: $12 per person. Call one week ahead for starting times. Course is closed Mondays. Par: 71 (men), 72 (women). Yardage: 6,684 (blue), 6,111 (white), 5,644 (yellow), 4,940 (red). Pro Ed Currin gives lessons at $25 per half-hour session, assistant pro Chris Gibson at $18 per half-hour session. Phone: 1-703-721-2653.
WILLOW CREEK: Membership information available through club office. Some play by non-members allowed during the week, but must be arranged through club office. Guest fees: $12 (weekdays), $15 weekends. Cart fees: $8.25 (18), $4.25 (9). Nine-hole course. Range facilities available. No starting times required. Located off U.S. 220 in Rocky Mount. Par for 18: 70 (men), 70 (women). Yardage: 6,097 (white), 5,304 (red). Pro Wes Swope gives lessons at $20 per member per half-hour ($25 non-member). Phone: 1-703-483-0797.
Driving ranges
BIG LICK GOLF DRIVING RANGE & LEARNING CENTER: New facility that opened this summer. Owned and operated by long-time Roanoke professional Wayne Holley. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Includes two massive tee boxes - one covered by rye and blue grass and other by Vermont-Bermuda grass. There are nine artificial-surface tee stations that will eventually be sheltered. Buckets $3 (30 balls), $6 (60) and $9 (90). All balls are new. Holley conducts clinics on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Clinic cost $25. Putting green will be available in near future and plans for batting cage are being studied. Phone: 563-4699.
DRIVE-A-WAY: Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Artificial surface, with eight mats under shelter. Buckets $2.75 (35 balls), $4 (55), $5 (90), $8 (160). Marshall Langheimer gives lessons for $22.50 per half-hour, package of three for $55. Also has miniature golf and batting cage. Phone: 389-0095.
GLEN ACRES: Open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Natural grass. Over 200 yards of teeing area, including mats. Buckets $3.50 (60 balls), $5 (90), $6.50 (120). Also has miniature golf. Rates for parties, too. Area pros Dicky Linkous (344-5311), Don Himes (977-0835) and Wayne Jackson (343-5533) give lessons for $20 per half-hour, $30 per hour. Appointments must be made with each by calling in advance. Free junior clinic held every Saturday from 8 to 9 a.m. Owned and operated by Juanita Surface. Phone: 387-9631.
TARGET GOLF RANGE: Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. during summer. Open daylight till dark during winter. Natural grass. Also mats with heated and sheltered tees. Practice putting green. Frequent users can inquire about frequency bonus plan. Buckets $3 (40 balls), $4 (60), $5 (100). Pro Troy Dixon gives lessons for $25, including balls, per half hour. Target Golf, which is a simulation of playing a real round of golf, is $6 for 18 holes and $3 for nine holes. Phone: 989-0808.
by CNB